The vascular surgery residency is a two year accredited fellowship. Curriculum contains didactic teaching, operative experience, endovascular experience, vascular laboratory experience, clinical and ambulatory care experience, basic science research, and resident instruction. The program for the vascular surgery resident encompasses two years. The first year is devoted to basic science research, education in the basic science of the vascular surgery discipline, vascular laboratory training including the performance of non invasive vascular testing such as ultrasound and pulse volume recording, and also endovascular training.
Since many new vascular residents have not received their general surgery training at Albany Medical Center (AMC), the first year of the vascular fellowship provides a clinical introduction to the teaching staff and the ways of the Department. In addition to the duties listed above, the vascular surgery resident will also have clinical duties including some on-call responsibility. However, the focus of the first year is on basic science, vascular lab, and endovascular experience.
The first year will also be a period when the resident can consolidate preparation for Part One of the American Board of Surgery credentialing examination. Readings in the basic sciences applicable to vascular surgery will be assigned.
The second year is the core of the RRC-approved fellowship which is entirely clinical in scope and is limited to patient care activities at AMC. The resident is responsible for participating in selected operative cases, running a service, preparation of conferences, timely performance of vascular consultations, and participation in office hours for the vascular surgery practice, which will include offices that will provide pre and postoperative care for the vascular surgery patient, patients with primarily venous pathology where laser therapy, sclerotherapy, and evaluation of patients with venous ulceration will be provided. In addition, there is also participation in offices focused on wound healing. The second year also provides a block of time for more advanced endovascular learning. Readings are assigned in selected areas, usually based on the themes engendered by sequences of cases prepared by the resident for vascular conference, but also based on a standard text of vascular surgery. The second year also provides ample time for clinical research and preparation of manuscripts related to clinical vascular surgery.
